DEPUTATION TO TORONTO ZOO BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

Feb 13, 2013 By Miguel Avila

RE: HEALTH and SAFETY Challenges and Solutions

The following deputation is an update to the current provided to the Zoo Board on Feb 13, 2013 and may vary from the original. .
Dear Board Members : As someone has been candid about how mental illness has impacted my life, I love seeing others opening up and speak up. I , do not look like am disabled ,in anyway on my physical exterior, My illness is inside my head .
Disability The Definition: As defined in the AODA, disability can include: a) b) c) d) e) physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement, mental impairment or developmental disability, learning disability, mental disorder, an injury or disability for which government benefits are received

Board members; Did you know that 1 out of 7 people in ONTARIO suffer from some

form of Mental Illness.. let see there are .. 14 members board members sitting here todayso there are two who might just , have a mental illness BUT out of fear from being label or stigmatized wont share or get the help they need Please dont get offend it by my words.. I am simply making a point based on statistical data. Moving on to the report in front of you: .In 2013 we will continue our prevention efforts by maintaining our current training programs, revising current policies, and introducing new safety programs to assist in meeting legislative changes and ensure continued due diligence.. oh how nice!!

....It is recommended that this report be received for information. NOT SO FAST my dear Mr. Hale. In 2012, 34 new items were raised at the Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) and a total of 33 items were resolved. The JHSC continues to have a positive impact on safety in the workplace in view of this statement I wonder..,, What type of training or implementation the Toronto Zoo has in dealing with mental illness? Perhaps Mrs. Gunton can provide the Board with a report at the next Board Meeting. It is true there are no legislation that forces or enforces companies , institutions to educate their employees, staff howeverTHE ZOO boast to be a PRIME ZOO or a WORLD CLASS ZOO if this mission statement is true.. then the ZOO should show some world leadership and innovation in inserting plans to educate upper management, mid management and employees on the issues of mental health and ways to deal with it.

While reading the current list of training and programs.. Mental health education is totally missing
General Safety Training Programs: In 2012, the Safety & Security Branch conducted Occupational Health & Safety related training programs for employees. The course type and total number of employees trained are identified below Course Staff Trained Administered Seasonal Refresher Exams 240 Seasonal Health & Safety Orientation 135 AED Lunch & Learn 92 Safe Driving Program (New drivers) 88 Back Care & Repetitive Strain Injury 72 Robbery Prevention 71 First Aid/CPR/EFA/AED 57 Commercial Vehicle Operators Requirements (CVOR) 22 Defensive Driving 21 Zoomobile Driver Training 19 Bring Your Kid to Work Day 15 Permanent Orientation 12 Ladder Safety Training 10 Firearms Safety Training & Qualification Shoot 9 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS) 8 Bearspray Training 7 Smart Serve 1 Total Participants 879

SURVEY COMMENTS: Here are some shocking tweets I read on Tuesday ( 2013 02 12) during the BELL s program lets talk to break the silence and stigma of Mental Illness. ..I lost my little brother to suicide 2 years ago. The hope of the #BellLetsTalk initiative is to help prevent families from going thru what we did ..It's time to stop being so damn squeamish about mental health, admit that it affects so many & show more compassion.. .It's time to end the stigma surrounding mental health - not just today, but EVERYDAY. ..Depression and mental health shouldn't require a corporate push to be talked about openly, without shame. But any push helps IMPORTANT FACTS: Everyday 500,000 Canadians miss work due to some form of mental Illness Far too many people suffer from mental illness without any support system. 1 out of 7 people in ONTARIO suffer from some form of Mental Illness. Major depression is present in approximately 15% of people with diabetes.

Here is an interesting chart that reports the reasons to be away from work at the zoo I did not find anything that refers to staying away from work for Mental Illness, Work stress etc.

Lost Time Accidents by Type: Type 2012 Percent Strains 7 43.8 Contact 5 31.3 Slips/falls 3 18.7 Animal Action 0 0.0 Exposure 1 6.2 Totals: 16 100.0

2011 8 13 1 3 1 26

Percent 31.0 50.0 3.8 11.4 3.8 100.0

So I wonder.. Is it because each employee is psychological evaluated before their start to work at the zoo? Do you expect employees not to suffer any type of mental illness while Employed at the Zoo? OR the staff is a special breed of people.. like the SPARTANS .. With no brain defects??

Except for the one claim that continues to incur lost time, the majority of the 25 WSIB claimants returned to work early through the Modified Work Program. Of the 25 claims, 11 returned to regular work requiring no modified work duties while 14 required modified duties. Of the 14 workers that required modified duties all were accommodated in their own work area. One claim has ongoing accommodations for modified duties, and the one ongoing lost-time claim is anticipated to recover, with an expected modified-duty return to work date in early 2013. What the statement does not mention if the work modifications were made to help the person with a mental illness to reintegrate to the workforce.. In my personal experience the Zoo does not have this type of service available it only focus on people with a physical mobility to regain full reintegration to the work force the absence of a plan to accommodate a person to the work force with a perceived or with a medical certification of suffering a mental illness is totally absent at the Zoo. Null , Zero , Nada. The Public Safety Committee continues to review on-going issues. Capital improvements and operating projects continue to be a benefit in improving site conditions for our guests states the report.. I wonder since it is a PUBLIC are there any members of the public engaged as part of this committee to address issues of interest of the public???

IN CONCLUSION: I want to thank Mr. Joe Torzsok for making small steps to engage upper management to encourage a proactive program to deal with Mental Illness at the Toronto Zoo and its employees. So far H.R has been more reactive to any issues surrounding Mental Illness. Their strategy to return to work emphasis is on people with a physical impairment so work accommodations are presently available abundantly. The current policy surrounding work accommodations to people with mental illness has been one that creates a culture of acceptance to a level to promote stigmatization and denial. It is a slap in the face on someone who has mental illness, and up to some degree a Poisonous Work environment. It is life, Suck it up, Accept rude abusive behavior as a normal activity, grow some skin for freaks sake, Nothing is going to change, dont want it, then resign or quit the job.. Are some of the common quotes of staff telling people while employed at the Zoo with Mental Illness.

Well it is up to Mr. John Tracogna and the Mrs Sue Gunton the Corporate Planning Director and Human Resources to put a new strategy based on this deputation. Miguel the self-appointed City Hall Monitor will be monitoring this process closely each and every time there is an opportunity to say a few words to the Board and the Union. A reminder... I was left out to hang and dried up by the Zoo and the Union. I bounced back from the ashes of despair and loneliness to the joy and doom of many, because I have a resilient personality, recharged because of the lessons learned , with an unbroken spirit to change the Zoos policies towards peoples with Mental Illness. By the way; One of your Protg who is supporting the Panda Project and I referring to Mrs. Laureen Harper has something to say about mental illness as reported in the Globe and Mail 2012 03 09 link bellow: www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/dont-call-her-first-lady-a-rare-sit-downchat-with-laureen-harper/article9561792/?page=all

Last month, she appeared at the Ottawa Youth Services Bureau to talk about mental health, a subject dear to her heart because she knows families who have been touched by suicide. Ive had some friends with some tragedies in their life, says Mrs. Harper, mother to Ben, 16, and Rachel, 13. How can I sit back when other people are doing all the work?.
Well this news should put an spin to the Zoo upper management to get on with the work on implementing a policy that is solid and realistic to deal with employees suffering Mental Illnesses.. I am willing to contribute with ideas and solutions I am just a call away. Thanks for your kind attention. As always we see each other again.

Until the next Board Meeting. Hasta Luego!

Miguel Avila City Hall Monitor